Recipe created by chef Spike Mendelsohn, owner of Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C.

Serve up any meal with chef Spike Mendelsohn's specialty onion rings, a side dish he created in celebration of the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama. These can be dipped in a variety of sauces, including Sriracha or Herb Mayonnaise (see recipes below).

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Vidalia onions , cut into fourths

4 cups batter (see recipe below)

Canola oil

Salt

1 cup beer (dark ale works great)

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. paprika

1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

1 Tbsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cumin

Pinch of black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup chopped mint

1/3 cup chopped Thai basil

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. sea salt

2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup Sriracha sauce (you can find this at a local grocery store; it's a hot sauce)